In the field of wiring homes and buildings, whether for new construction or for improvements or expansion, substantial development and product improvements have been made. Typically, these improvements are directed to enabling installers to securely mount any desired wiring in any desired location in the most efficient and quickest manner.
In any particular installation or location, various cables must be interconnected to each other as well as connected to the primary power supply in a suitable power distributing junction box or fuse box. In each of these instances, metal sheath cables, within which the electric power carrying wires are contained, must be securely mounted to the housing of the junction box or outlet box, or connected to appropriate devices, in a protected area.
In order to enable installers to securely mount metal sheath cables to any desired junction box or outlet box, numerous prior art connectors have been developed. However, in spite of the substantial effort that has been expended in developing such connectors, these prior art systems all have drawbacks or difficulties which prevent their universal adoption and use.
In general, the industry has long sought to have a single cable connector which is quickly and easily secured to the end of the metal sheath cable and, once installed, is capable of preventing unwanted movement or dislodgement of the cable from the connector. In addition, the cable connector, with the cable secured therein, must be quickly mountable in secure engagement with any desired junction box or outlet box. Finally, all of these attributes must be achieved in a connector which is inexpensive, in order to enable its acceptance, use, and wide-spread adoption.
Although many prior art connectors have been developed which provide one or more of the attributes detailed above, no prior art connector has been developed which is capable of satisfying all of these long-sought requirements. Consequently, a long-felt need continues to exist for a cable connector meeting these requirements.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a connector for use with metal sheath cables which provides secure, rapid engagement and retention of the cable in the connector.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having the characteristic features described above which is also quickly and easily secured to any desired junction box or outlet box in a manner which assures secure retained engagement therewith.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having the characteristic features described above wherein the cable, once mounted to the connector, is incapable of dislodgement or withdrawal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having the characteristic features described above wherein the cable connector is capable of being produced and assembled quickly and easily, thereby providing an inexpensive product.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having the characteristic features described above wherein the cable connector automatically provides grounding and/or an electrical flow path through the junction box or outlet box when mounted thereto.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having the characteristic features described above wherein the cable connector is self-centering when mounted in a receiving hole and provides a pre-loaded, spring biasing holding force thereto.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having the characteristic features described above wherein the cable connector is rain and/or moisture tight to enable its use outdoors or in other high moisture environments without difficulty.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.